Focus on the future

We’re not overly bothered that the people we elect to represent us occasionally disagree.

A reasoned, respectful debate, whether the topic is how the city spends our money or who it hires as the city’s CEO, can prompt councilors to consider other viewpoints and, in the end, make wise decisions.

But some of the debates that have erupted during Council meetings since City Manager Steve Brocato was fired 14 months ago were neither reasoned nor respectful.

At times meetings have devolved into a forum for councilors to bicker about issues that aren’t on the city’s agenda.

That should be the last such episode. It’s time for councilors to banish last year’s events to the past, where they belong.

This Council has important tasks to accomplish, most notably hiring a new city manager.

But continuing to rehash Brocato’s firing through angry outbursts won’t help councilors in their deliberations.

Dorrah’s harangue Tuesday, in which he chastised Pope for “the negativity that has come from your mouth for the last year,” was gratuitous.

As was Pope’s response (curtailed by Dorrah rapping his gavel) in which Pope started repeating the stale story about the day Brocato was fired.

Do what we elected you to do: Find the best manager available before Steve Bogart resigns Sept. 23.

Focus on the city’s future rather than wallow in its past.